Through World War II (Tales of the South Pacific) and Korea (The Bridges
at Toko-Ri), James A. Michener kept his sense of gaiety and gallantry.
The Hungarian revolution of October-November 1956 left him with nothing
but anger and a good reporter's determination to put the whole cruel,
confused and courageous episode on the record.

In Korea the bridges used by the North Korean army were a device on
which Michener could focus a narrative of plain warfare. In the more
complex ideological war of...